This application claims the priority of German Priority application 101 12 655.7 filed Mar. 16, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a bipod support for a two-wheeled vehicle. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a bipod support for a two-wheeler which is mounted on the two-wheeler swivellably about an axis extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle. For its operation by a foot lever can swivell the bipod support about this swiveling axis from a first end position for the driving operation into a second end position for parking the two-wheeler.
Two-wheeler supports are known which are called bipod supports or tilting stands. A tilting stand is normally constructed as a two-armed bearing block which, swivellably about a transverse vehicle axis, is mounted on the two-wheeler and supports the latter in its upright position in that a wheel is lifted off the ground.
For a better operability, some tilting stands are provided with foot levers which make it easier for the operator of the two-wheeler to reach the tilting stand and, as a result of the lever effect, the formation of a favorable point of application of force, etc., reduce the force to be applied by the operator to righten up the two-wheeler. German Patent Document 535 592 describes a tilting stand for motorcycles with a foot lever which can be reached from the motorcycle operator""s seat, which foot lever is mounted such that, when the wheel is raised, it rests with its free end on the road.
The foot lever aids the righting-up of the two-wheeler in that it can be loaded at its free end by the entire body weight, which generates a torque about the contact point of the tilting stand on the ground, which torque lifts up the two-wheeler, possibly aided by an upward-directed pulling force exercised by the operator at the two-wheeler.
When the operator of the two-wheeler loads the tilting stand by means of his body weight, he can only apply limited additional force for holding the two-wheeler in the vertical direction to prevent it from tipping over. Therefore, when the torque is applied to the foot lever by the driver, he has to make absolutely certain that the two-wheeler tilts as little as possible. When the ground is uneven or the road is inclined, this is not always possible, particularly if the vehicle is loaded, in which case a tilt of the two-wheeler directed toward the operator has a favorable effect for a stabilization during the righting-up on the tilting stand, while a tilt of the two-wheeler directed away from the operator can easily cause a tipping-over. Particularly, low-weight persons, will no longer be able to bring the two-wheeler back into the vertical position starting even at a relatively slight tilt in this direction. This applies not only to setting up the two-wheeler on the tilting stand but also to the so-called removal from the tilting stand for readying the two-wheeler for its operation.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a two-wheeler which makes it easier for the operator to prevent a tipping-over of the two-wheeler when the two wheeler is rightened up on the tilting stand and removed from the tilting stand under unfavorable conditions.
According to the preferred embodiments of invention this object is achieved by providing a tilting stand for a two-wheeler which is mounted on the two-wheeler for swiveling about a first axis extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle. For its operation the tilting stand can be swiveled about this first axis by means of a foot lever from a first end position for the driving operation into a second end position for parking the two-wheeler. During the swiveling for placing the two-wheeler in an intermediate position, the tilting stand touches the ground with both of its feet and, in this intermediate position, the two-wheeler and the axis of the tilting stand are swiveled about a second swiveling axis which connects the two ground contact points of the feet, until the tilting stand has reached its second end position. One of the two feet of the tilting stand, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the two-wheeler, projects farther toward the front than the other.
This arrangement has the advantage that, for the righting-up of the two-wheeler and for its removal from the tilting stand, the latter is swiveled to a side by a defined angular range, a slight tilt of the two-wheeler directed toward the operator of the two wheeler creating a force application position which is favorable for the operator, which force application position contributes to the simple operability of the tilting stand when stabilizing the two-wheeler during the righting-up on the tilting stand and the removal from the tilting stand.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the right foot projects farther toward the front. This has the advantage that during the righting-up on the tilting stand and during the removal from the tilting stand, the two-wheeler is swiveled toward the left to the side by a defined angular range. After the driver, as customary, has mounted the motorcycle and dismounted from the motorcycle from and onto the left side and also operates the tilting stand from there, a slight tilt of the two-wheeler toward the left is favorable for a force application position of the operator of the two-wheeler, as a result of which a tipping-over of the two-wheeler can easily be avoided.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.